title: Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility: efficacy study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present and determine the impact of the Mindfulness-Based Program for Infertility (MBPI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  University research unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five infertile women completed the MBPI, and 37 infertile women were assigned to a control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MBPI includes 10 weekly sessions, in a group format, with a duration of about 2 hours each (men attend three sessions).
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized measures of depression, state anxiety, entrapment, defeat, internal and external shame, experiential avoidance, mindfulness, self-compassion, and infertility self-efficacy were endorsed pre- and post-MBPI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MBPI group and the control group were shown to be equivalent at baseline. By the end of the MBPI, women who attended the program revealed a significant decrease in depressive symptoms, internal and external shame, entrapment, and defeat. Inversely, they presented statistically significant improvement in mindfulness skills and self-efficacy to deal with infertility. Women in the control group did not present significant changes in any of the psychological measures, except for a decrease in self-judgment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing mindfulness and acceptance skills, as well as cognitive decentering from thoughts and feelings, seem to help women to experience negative inner states in new ways, decreasing their entanglement with them and thus their psychological distress. Data suggest that the MBPI is an effective psychological intervention for women experiencing infertility.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Superior Miguel Torga, Coimbra, Portugal; Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal. Electronic address: anagalhardo@ismt.pt.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Galhardo
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cunha
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pinto-Gouveia
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001364:Awareness; D001945:Breathing Exercises; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003071:Cognition; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D019122:Meditation; D008603:Mental Health; D026441:Mind-Body Therapies / Q000379:methods*; D010465:Perception; D011174:Portugal; D011603:Psychophysiology; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012752:Shame; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Mindfulness; acceptance and commitment therapy; infertility; psychopathology